The Inheritance of Humility

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud—but gives grace to the humble. - 1 Peter 5:5

Humility is a choice

"We have no humility by nature. There may be a softness of disposition, and a readiness to yield to others—but there is no true humility." - James Smith

However the choice is not simply to choose by our own force of will to enforce humility on our own puffed up ego. That for sure is to end in failure as eventually all our own acts of rightiousness.

To clothe ourselves in humility is to live in close fellowship with Jesus. By this we are transformed by the sanctifying and transforming work of the Holy Spirit, germinating and growing its fruit in our lives.

Humility puts God in your camp

Pride should be an oxymoron in a Christian's life. The very origin of the label Christian from "Christ like" about the believers in Antioch sets it in context of the greatest act of humility the universe has ever witnessed - The Incarnation.

So for those of us who have colided with our own inability to do anything about our eternal state, and discovered a a grace that we were nither look for or deserved, pride and arrogance should be an unwelcome stranger.

To invite the one, who has through the ultimate act of humility, exhalted us to heavens top table, to oppose us because of our pride is a special kind of insanity.

Humility brings an abundance of God's Grace.

The humble are God's special favorites. God will do anything for them, or give anything to them.

Grace to serve. Grace to endure trials. Grace to have comfort in poverty. Grace of deliverance from danger. Grace to sweeten our sickness. Grace to trust.

May I grow downward in humility before God. O to be like Jesus, rooted in humility. - James Smith

Three BASIC Disciplines of Leadership

“too many leaders forget that they also need to manage themselves, since no one else is doing it; they fail to put into place key boundaries of self-leadership that the sheer volume of work and responsibilities can obscure.” - Dr Henry Cloud

Billy Hybels says that he was so busy doing the work of God that the work of God was killing the work of God in him.

Most church leaders and pastors are busy driven people. There is always something else to be done. Person to be visited, ministry to launch, book to be read, message to be prepared, e mail to be read.

But busyness can never be an excuse for lack of intimacy with God. Busyness rapes relationship. All too often the first thing that goes out the window are our basic spiritual disciplines.

We don't like the word disciple. But for sure if we sacrifice discipline we wander off the path that leads to intimacy with our saviour. Trying to shepherd his church without colliding daily with the heart & voice of the Good Shepherd will eventually scatter the sheep.

Read God's Word

Devour the Bible. If you don't have the time stop reading other books, blogs, tweets, posts, papers and everything else. No quotes from Piper, Chandler, Driscoll or even C S Lewis can bring the wisdom that the Holy Spirit can through his glorious Word.

Speak to God

Pastors can spend their life talking. Talking too long from the pulpit, talking in counsilling sessions, talking in small groups, talking to anybody and everybody they can on a Sunday morning, talking to other leaders & even talking to God on behalf of someone else.

For some being invited into the VIP lounge at the latest conference to talk to the celebrity speakers would be like all their birthdays come at once.

But nothing can replace the simple act of bowing your head coming alone to the very throne of God, leaning forward and whispering into the ear of the Father. Snatching a moment with your God that is not shared with another mortal. Glancing an eye God's way and capturing His heart.

Listen to God

Perry Noble said Leadership is as easy as listening to God and doing what he say. Church Leadership truly has entered the digital information age. Almost every church that has an internet connection finds a way to podcast. We have access like never before to great leadership voices around the world. A great blessing can become a great curse.

Instead of listening for 55 minutes to the latest Driscoll sermon take the hour to be silent and listen to hear what God wants to say. Driscoll doesn't know you or your situation from Adam. God does! Who would you rather listen too?

Community Transformation

Community Transformation was a phrase I heard often yesterday at the Cinnamon Network Forum in London. (They are doing an amazing job)

No matter what the latest label or buzz word we attach, It was inspiring to be in a room with so many people who are all passionate to reach out to the communities God has placed them in. Here are some of my thoughts that I took away from the day.

• Keep Jesus and his Good News (The Gospel) the main thing.

Without transformed hearts we will never have a truly transformed community. The bad news is mankind is sick with a deadly disease. Its called Sin. No matter what environment we create it in this world our sin will tarnish it. The Good News is that God sent a cure. His name was Jesus and through faith in Him we are part of His Kingdom.

Once in that Kingdom we have many responsibility's but the preeminent one that dwarfs all others is to "GO into all the world and make disciples."

Creating a better life and alleviating suffering (which we should do ) in this life without telling someone about eternal salvation is down right crazy.

• Seek the favour of God before we seek the favour of politicians

In our current economic situation it would seem that the church, although being marginalised and ignored by many politicians, at the same time has the opportunity to step up.

The church and other faith groups are stepping into the gap that the government and local councils are leaving because of the need for spending cuts. Mobilising volunteers to deliver services.

That takes many of us into the political arena looking to gain favour and finance to expand our good works. We must always remember that MP's, Councillors & Party's come and go but Jesus remains forever on the throne. Courting the favour of God is much more valuable than the favour of a political party.

• Release the treasure that God has put in our church

In every local church God has place treasure. They are called people. He has shaped every one of them in a unique way. Each has particular gifts, passion, abilities, personality and God given experiences on purpose to reach into this broken world and reach people for Jesus.

We must help people in our churches to discover this shape and then inspire and release them to radically pursue it with every fibre of their being.

• Radical devotion to Jesus will bring the resource we need.

The Bible clearly states that in the very early church, NO ONE WAS IN NEED. Why? Because the believers in that early church were radical in the extreme. They sold possessions and land to meet needs.

It would seem often our dreams can be held back because of lack of finance. It would seem that at this present time there may be an opportunity for the church to receive finances from the Government. A god given opportunity? YES. But I also believe that God is always calling his people to a life of radical devotion.

You may not believe in tithing but some how I have this belief that if EVERYONE in the church just gave 10% of their income to Jesus we would be well on our way to financing most projects let alone if the whole church adopted the radical lifestyle of the infant church.

God continue to transform me!

Please yourself

Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. - Psalm 135:6

Please Yourself... A phrase I heard my mum say quite often when I was growing up. It usually said with a little exasperation because yet again I wasn't listening, intent to embrace her words even if she hadn't said it. I was, no matter the consequences, going to ignore her advice and do it my own way.

The above verse drives me to my knees because it reminds me that God, who could always do whatever he pleased, chose to do something that seems impossible.

He sent his Son to die in my place. It wasn't if he had no choice. As John Piper puts it:

God never becomes the victim of circumstance. He is never forced into a situation where he must do something in which he cannot rejoice. He is not mocked. He is not trapped or cornered or coerced.

In fact the prophet Isaiah says:

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief - Isaiah 53:10

The hardest act of God is said to be pleasing to Him. And Jesus on his way to the cross says: "For the JOY set before him".

Pleasure and joy sit uncomfortably with me when associated with hurt and death. Set by it's self there can be no pleasure no joy. But set in the context of God redemptive plan for all mankind the landscape changes.

Only then can the beauty and "the a fragrant offering" (Eph 5:2) of the sacrifice of God be seen its true context.

The barbaric becomes the beautiful because God was free to please himself.